Pull-rod retainer



Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,350

G. KRELL PULL HOD RETAINER Filed July 2, 1927 INVENTOR 'earya ffre A TTORNE Y Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES GEORGE KRELL, F SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA.

PULL-BOD RETAINER.

Application filed July 2,

My invention relates to pull rod retainers and more particularly to a device of that character for use in connection with pumps for shallow wells of low production, for

retaining a pull rod in retracted osition and the pump valve closed while t e pump is inactive.

In shallow fields where a light pumping jack may be used in place of the heavier and more costly pumping derricks required for deep wells, it is common practice to employ light pumping equipment commonly referred to as jacks and to connect the jacks on a number of wells with a single power mecha nism. In such fields where the production is low, it is also common practice to operate the pumps for only such periods during the day as may be necessary to lift the daily accumulation of fluid in t e well.

In order to overcome the disadvantages incident to overpumping wells of lower production in order to fully pump wells of higher production in a group, it is customary to diS- connect the pumps serving the low production wells after their accumulated fluid has been removed and to reconnect the pumps when the pumping is to be resumed.

In operating pumps of this character weight of the sucker rods operates the pistons in one direction and the power is emplo ed merely to lift the pistons. WVith the suc er rods disconnected from the pull rods and power, the pump valves automatically open and remain open while the fluid is accumulating in the wells, with the result that sand or foreign matter settles on the valves and valve seats and about the pistons, and interferes with operation of such working parts when the pumping is resumed.

It is the principal object of my invention to obviate this disadvantage of interference with the pump elements by retaining the valves closed to exclude fluid and forei matter from the pump during idle perio s, and it is a further object of my invention to provide a retainer of this character which is self-releasing upon resumption of pump ing operations.

In accomplishing this object I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pump jack applied to a well equip ed with a pull rod in accordance with or inary practice and 1827. Serial 1T0. 203,251.

illustrating application of my retaining mechanism to the rod.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section on the line 2-42, F ig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail side elevation, partly in section, of the pull rod and a part of the retainer, showing application of the retainer to the pull rod clamp.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the mounting bracket element of the retainer.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the spreader member.

Referring more in detail to the draw' 1 designates the casin head of an or inary oil well and 2 the to ing which extends through the head and delivers to a flow line 3. Mounted on the tubing above theflow line is a stufling box 4 and extending through the tubing and stuffing box is a sucker rod 5, which connects with the piston of a pump within the well.

6 designates the frame and 7 the rocker of an ordinary pump jack; Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrating connection of the rocker member with the sucker rod in accordance with common practice.

Connected with the rocker member 7 is a pitman 8, connected through a coupling 9 with the joint 10 of a pull rod which may extend in sections to a central power mechanism (not shown). Each of the joints of the pull rod is provided with an integral head 11 and a bail clamp 12 which swivels on the rod and is adapted for connection with the clamp of an adjacent joint by a coupling member (not shown).

To adapt my retainingi device to the ordinary equipment above escribed, I erect a post 13 adjacent the power plant and attach 5 to the post a bracket element of the retainer; preferably comprising a casting 14 having an arcuate boss 15 adapted to lie snugly against the face of the post and having slotted ears 16 at its ends for receiving a U-bolt 17 100 whereby the bracket is attached to the post.

The post is provided with a transverse opening 18 and the bracket with a depending ear 19 having a slot 20 registering with the post opening 18, so that the pull rod joint 10 105 may extend slidably through the post and bracket; the 0st being so located relative to the jack, or tlie length of the rod joint 10 being such, as to locate the bail clamp 12 on the end of the rod joint adjacent the bracket 110 .to insure retention. of the retainer on the rod 14 when the sucker rod is at the lower limit of its travel.

011 the outer face of the bracket l l, adj acent the slot 20, is a boss :21 carrying a fixed axle member 22 for mounting the spreader element of the retainer.

The spreader element comprises a pair of arms 23, pivotally mounted on the a do 22, having a handle member 24 formed integrally with their outer ends and having a barrel E25 foru'ied integrally with or hired to their inner ends, the handle constituting a weight for overl alancing the spreader barrel to automatically turn the combined structure on axis when the retainer is released upon resumption of the pumping operation. The barrel 25 is of a length corresponding to the extent of reciprocatory travel of the pull rod and provided with a longitudinal groove 26 of a width and depth to over and snugly seat the pull rod without binding of the rod in the seat.

At the rear end of the barrel 25 is a head 27 providing an extended surface for contact with the face of the bracket l l. ht its forward end the barrel is beveled downwardly so that when engaged by the bail clamp on the pull rod the barrel is forced toward the rod The mouth of the groove 26 is preferably flared to facilitate seating of the barrel on the pull rod.

' The aide 22 is preferably provided with a washer 28 and cotter key 29 for removably anchoring the retainer to the axle without interfering with its free pivotal movement.

Assuming the parts to be constructed and assembled as described with the pull rod connected with the pumping jack of a low production well and the retainer mounted in proper spaced relation with the rod, the retainer barrel is held in retracted position (dotted lines, Fig. 2) by ovcrbalancing weight of the handle member to avoid interference with the pull rod during the active pumping operation. When the accumulated fluid has been pumped from the well and operation of the pump is to be discontinued, the attendant grasps the handle of the movable retainer member and when the pull rod has been pulled back by the power to the limit of its retracted movement, he swings the retainer about on its axis, rotating the barrel over the pull rod so that when weight of the sucker rod tends to return the pull rod, the beveled end of the barrel is engaged by the bail clamp on the pull rod, and the pull rod is held against backward movement, the barrel being stopped by the fixed bracket, thereby retainin the sucker red at the upward limit of its movement and the pump valve closed.

When the retainer has been located on the rod as described, connect-ionbetween the pull rod joints may be broken by removal of the ordinary coupling link, so that the jack end of the pull rod remains inoperative until the connection is restored.

When the pump is to be again placed in operation, the attendant connects the jack oint of the pull. rod with the joint leading to the power so that when the power operates to retract the rod, the retainer barrel automatically swings off of the pull rod d no to the greater weight of the handle member and the weight of the sucker rods is again permitted to rotracm the pull rods for a pumping stroke.

it is apparent, therefore, that while the spreader must be manually positioned for retaining the pull rod in retracted position, shift of the spreader to clear the rod is automatic upon resumption of the pumping operation and with the first pull stroke of the rod.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let tors Patent is:

1. A pull rod retainer including, in combination with a fixed member, a movable member comprising a spreader adapted for interposition between the fixed member and a protuberance on a pull rod, and a weight arranged to automatically shift the spreader from holding position when unrestrained.

2. it pull rod retainer including a stop bracket, having an axle extended angularly from its stop face, and a retainer pivotally mounted on the axle comprising a spreader at one side of the mounting adapted for interposition between the stop bracket and a pro tuberance on a. pull rod, and a weighted handle at the other side of the mounting adapted for automatically shifting the spreader to nonfunctional position when unrestrained.

A pull rod retainer comprising a mounting, a bracket on said mounting, and a member pivotally mounted on said bracket including spreader and handle members at opposite sides of its pivotal mounting, the spreader having a longitudinal groove for receiving a pull rod, a bearing head at one end of the spreader for abutment against the mounting member, the opposite end of the spreader having an inclined face engageablc by a clamp on said rod to wedge the spreader in functional position.

l. A pull rod retainer comprising a mounting bracket having a pull rod slot and an axle member, a retaining member pivotally mounted on the axle member including a spreader adapted for application to a pull rod and engagcable at its respective ends with the mounting member and with a clamp on a rod extended through the slot in said mounting member.

5. A pull rod retainer comprising a bracket and means for attaching the bracket to a post, an axle fixed on the bracket, and a retaining member including a longitudinally grooved spreader adapted for application to a pull rod, handle arms on the spreader pivotally mounted on said axle member, and a handle 7. A pull rod retainer including a fixed stop member and an axle on said member, a spreader revolubly mounted on said axle including a spreadin member at one side of the axle having a ongitudinal slot for receiving a rod and a weight at the opposite side of said axle for overbalancing the spreading member when the spreader is un- 20 restrained.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE KRELL. 

